OFFICIALS

Harry Lightbourne does not think crime is a problem in the Homes of Lawrence development, where he lives.

But he and other homeowners are happy to hear about the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office's plan to place two community police officers on patrol within the development west of Boynton Beach, pending budget approval this October.

"I've lived here seven years and raised my teen-aged son and daughter here," Lightbourne said, as he washed his truck one recent steamy afternoon at his Willow Springs Circle West home. "If there is a problem with crime here, it hasn't affected me personally."

Lightbourne and other residents readily concede some "kid crimes" - such as auto burglaries and vandalism to unoccupied homes within the expanding development - are fairly common. They also say cars frequently tear through the neighborhood.

"But I've got my kids involved in summer recreation programs to keep them out of trouble while I'm at work," Lightbourne said. "About the only bad thing that's ever happened to me in seven years is that someone knocked down my mailbox."

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Sheriff's Lt. Michael Gauger said three areas - the Homes of Lawrence, Westgate near West Palm Beach and a section of homes at Lake Worth Road and Military Trail near West Palm Beach - have been selected for community policing units. The Sheriff's Office wants to add six community police officers, two for each of these areas, in the fall budget.

"The Homes of Lawrence is an area that has a potential for trouble," Gauger said. "I'd say 98 percent of the population is made up of hard-working families, striving to make their lives better.

"But when that 2 percent or 3 percent of the population starts their criminal behavior, that leads to more crime. We just want to get in there and stop what small amount of crime there is before it gets worse."

The Community Policing Unit has experienced great success with patrols in similar neighborhoods in suburban Lake Worth, such as Indian Pines and Strawberry Lakes.

"There's a neighborhood profile that sometimes leads to problems with kids," Gauger said. "High-density populations where both parents work and the kids are at home, unsupervised, with no recreational facilities, is a simple formula for trouble."

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Noyland Francis lives in a well-kept cul-de-sac on Pinedale Drive in the Homes of Lawrence development.

"I'm happy here," said the assistant coach at Lake Worth Middle School. "I have no complaints. I've lived here almost three years, and I've never had any problems with crime."

Down the street from his home are new, unoccupied houses.

"The kids may damage some of the houses and vandalize things, but it's not a major problem," Francis said. "Even so, we'd like to organize a homeowners group to try and keep kids out of trouble."

Francis said he and a handful of residents have met in each other's homes under the auspices of a group called "One Brother Under A Move."He would like to involve more families.

"School is out and we'd like to get the kids in this neighborhood involved in something," Francis said. "That's my goal."

Patricia Wilson would like to see a homeowners' association form, too.

"My house has been broken into, and they stole a jack out of my husband's truck one night," Wilson said. "I think it's the kids around here."

Wilson, who works for the state Department of Corrections, has a theory.

"I believe there are children in gangs around here, walking in the complex and coming out more and more these days," Wilson said. "For a while there, someone was stealing cars and putting them out in the pond. There's definitely crimes, but most are pretty minor. The kids know us. They don't bother us."

Crime statistics for the neighborhood show that in the past two years, the neighborhood has experienced two murders, four rapes, 18 aggravated assaults, 32 simple assaults, two arsons, 25 burglaries and 34 domestic disturbance reports.

In the five years Samuel Brown has lived in the Homes of Lawrence, his home has never been burglarized.

"It just takes one bad kid in the neighborhood to start problems, though," Brown said. "But this is a nice neighborhood."

That's what Charles Rawls would like people to know about Homes of Lawrence.

"It's a nice neighborhood," said the school police officer. "I personally have never been burglarized or vandalized. I think we have the same problems as any neighborhood with a lot of teen-agers. But I am happy to hear about the sheriff's department becoming more visible here."

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Community policing in Palm Beach County has adopted a new philosophy these days, Gauger said.

"We're taking a pro-active approach to preventing crime," he said. "We're seeking out areas that need help before the problem begins."

Most of the time, recreational activities for children are the key to preventing crime in neighborhoods, Gauger said.